How to raise difficult kids

What defines a child as a difficult one, or who is a strong-willed child?

In today’s write-up, we will be looking at the best way a parent can go around nurturing a difficult child to benefit the home and society.

A strong-willed child, in simple terms, is the child who, instead of accepting what he is told to do, would prefer to do things their own way no matter what the parent says.

If care is not taken, the problem with such kids is that they become bad individuals like tyrants or bullies who, if they don’t get things done their way, there could be severe consequences. That is why parents must do their best to help such a child change for the better.

However, only a few parents know how to help such a child, leaving most parents clueless.

That is why we will be looking at the best possible ways to help a difficult child in this article, but before we do that, it is essential to know the characteristics to look out for to help identify such a child.

Characteristics of a difficult child.

1.    Perseverance;

One of the first signs you can notice as a parent of a difficult child is he perseveres. This is to say that a difficult child will make all efforts to get whatever he wants, whether you can afford that or not.

If he wants a new bicycle now, you will have no peace in the coming days unless you buy him one. Some kids can use their demands to threaten you, the parent stating clearly that if you don’t comply with their orders, they will ignore you or do worse.

2.    Determination;

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I mean that you will identify that such a kid will do what he pleases first before attending to your request.

For instance, if you instruct him as a parent that he should stop what he is doing and come to attend to something else, he will prefer to be done with what he is doing first before obeying your instruction.

3.    They are impatient;

Does your child have the ability to be patient and wait for what he wants? Well, this is another way of identifying a problematic child.

If he is always concerned about having things go his way and becomes very restless if he has to wait a while, know that you have a challenging child at hand.
You can identify such traits from many things that he does both at home and outside the home.

Now that you are familiar with some of the characteristics to look out for to identify a difficult child, we can continue on how best a parent can raise such a child, helping him change his ways to become a better person.

Tips for raising a difficult child

1.    Reward good deeds;

Don’t hesitate to show appreciation when you notice your little one has done something positive. Rewarding him with something you know he will like will motivate him to keep doing good deeds and shun all negative behaviors.

For example, if he always proves difficult when you ask him to wash his hands after playing outside, and one day you notice that he went to wash his hands on his own or maybe after asking him to. He didn’t hesitate to give him something you know he will love as a form of saying thank you, and like I said earlier, he will take such a gesture as a motivation to keep doing right.

2.    Find out why;

Another option is to figure out why your child is so challenging all of the time. Try to see things from his point of view by sitting him down and asking him why he behaves in such a manner.

Maybe he might have a reason, and identifying and finding a solution to that issue can help the child solve the difficult problems.

This perhaps should be the first approach taken in addressing the issue.

3.    Ask for his opinion;

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When you ask your difficult child to do something, ask for his feedback. Transform your request into a friendly exchange. When they have a problem with your request, try to be open and listen to them. Children will feel respected or cherished in this manner.

4.    Don’t overreact;

Indeed, difficult kids can get on your nerves as a parent, and it will be tough not to react. Try your best to always keep calm whenever this happens.

This is because reacting can worsen the situation rather than solve it.

Keep your frustration to yourself, and when you are calm a little, call your child and have a talk about why he behaved as such and how you can address the issue.